Learn How To Sing With The Best Singing Exercise To Fix The Break (Crack) (Pt 2) – LESSON 21

Learn How To Sing With The Best Singing Exercise To Fix The Break (Crack) (Pt 2) – LESSON 21

:35 It’s not over once you can negotiate that break. Because a lot of people can negotiate it, but when they start to sing, they don’t take effect. When you get to that break and then hover in that area, that worst part where your vocal folds doesn’t know what to do. It’s uncomfortably high for the chest voice and too low for the head voice. So, as you’re doing the exercise, once you are able to maneuver through the break, you hover there. Ahh… right around here for me… ahh…

1:22 Because then your vocal folds, those muscles in your larynx have figured it out. And that’s the way you always want to be singing. Right at that break. And some of you out there recognize it as the mixed voice.
Ahh… and then when you know that part then you do a very difficult exercise which is the crescendo. Ahh…. Or in opera terms,

1:54 “messa di voce”.
Oops, put your finger there, so the muscle you can feel, you can feel when that muscle jerks. And so your brain can focus there. Ahh…

2:28So that’s, of course, more difficult. But that is the next step after you are able to move through the break without breaking.
It’s also the best exercise for improving your tonal accuracy because of the same thing. We are more accurate when we are singing in the mixed voice.

2:50 Through that passaggio, operatic term for break, transition zone. I know this because this is the most effect exercise for tone-deaf people.

3:04 As they do this exercise, they immediately sing better. They sing more accurately. So I know it helps to improve pitch.

3:12 Why else is this the best singing exercise? It’s because it teaches you to control your air. Because as I said that’s the problem. The break occurs when you have a sudden release of air. So to fix the break, you are learning to keep the air under control.

3:32 So after you move through that break, you still need to control the air or it will pop open again.

3:40 And this is the best singing exercise because it helps to improve the tonal quality of your voice. So I guess you might say it’s controversial depending on what you consider a nice tone. For me, it means it has sufficient amounts of chest resonances, head resonances and nasal resonances. A resonant voice. Most resonant voices are done with the mixed tone.
4:13 Chest tone. And the rockets’ red glare… Head tone. And the rockets’ red glare…
Mixed tone. And the rockets’ red glare

4:43 Why is this the best singing exercise? It’s because you can take it anywhere. You don’t need a keyboard. You can do it all the time. Ahh….

5:00 Now be sure as you’re doing these slides that you have a good onset. If you’re not sure what that is, please look at my video about the onset. There’s three types of onsets. One is called the hard onset. Ah. One is called the soft onset. Haa. And the third is called the balanced onset. Ah. If you can do a balanced onset, where there’s no tension. There’s no, it’s not a sudden sound. And there’s no excess breath. If you’re doing a balanced onset, then already, your break will start to improve. Because as I said what’s happened is a sudden release of air. And if you’re starting with a hard onset, then you’re already in a very heavy vocal fold position.

5:52 Another reason that this is the best singing exercise because this exercise once you can master it at a low volume, you can start going through the break at any volume. I would take it up a notch at a time. Ah… Ah… Ah… Ah…

6:43 So that last one, I did it in a very chesty tone. Yet there was no break. Why is that? Again, it’s not about resonances. It’s about that muscle. I’ve learned to condition that muscle so it doesn’t break regardless of the volume I’m singing at. So then, the onsets again, balanced onset is what you want to do as you’re doing these exercises. You don’t want to do a hard onset, ah. Uh, breathy onset, hah… You want to do balanced, ah…

7:20 Later on, after that muscle is under control, the onset will be less important. So now, I’m going to do one with a hard onset. Ahh… So that was a horrible tone that I would not use to sing with. But I demonstrated it to show you that it’s just about that muscle. It’s not about resonances, placement…it’s that muscle.

7:53 Now let me try it with one more. Is it important that the larynx should stay in position? From a higher position, is my voice going to break? Ahh… No break. So that means it’s not about larynx position. And that’s why the slides are the best singing exercise.

23 Responses to "Learn How To Sing With The Best Singing Exercise To Fix The Break (Crack) (Pt 2) – LESSON 21"

Hi, Craig. I know this is basic but, does controlled air flow mean putting more/less pressure on the diaphragm? When you take the first breath on the onset of the slide do you need to put more /less pressure on the diaphragm to negotiate the break? Thank you.

Hello! I watched your video on How to sing with vibrato and it was great, but I’m having some trouble. I find it hard to keep a consistent vibrato on long notes, especially in my mixed voice. My vibrato starts out jerky but it seems to get better towards the end of the note. I would love it if you did a more in depth video on vibrato 🙂

Hey Craig! For your loudest demonstration of the slides, will we be able to achieve the same “chesty tone” by practicing slides at differing volumes like you showed in the video, or is there a different technique that needs to be employed? Thank you!

Hi Shimizu. I also believe it’s about the energy from the beginning of the low note to the mix note (break) at the top. When I was practicing this before I was not putting much energy from the beginning of the note, which the air begin to slip and causes this very airy tone. Now I applied more energy and the diaphram. It worked. No slippage of air when I was going into my break! Thanks for this video. -D

Hej shimizu i have question for you . I ve made some covers ok . i can put them on computer ofc they are all recored on my phone bec i don t have time to studio . And my question is do you wanna hear it and check in what postion is my voice ?

Hey craig, I learned how to not push my voice and sing more naturally, also my vibrato has improved. But I think my sound is just so bad. You can watch my last video to hear how my voice sounds now. It’s better than pushing but it’s still a weak sound. I think I should practice my head voice and then learn to mix and have more varieties of sounds. Do you think I should do it. If I master the head voice will it benefit my full voice? And what are other benefits of learning head voice? Thanks.

Hi Craig. I have a “deep” question, something that’s bothered me for a long while and I’m wondering how you “see” this. It seems most (non-singing) people assume that if you’re not shouting/singing it’s “not really singing”. I’ve been training in voice for a while, but I feel like I get “dismissed” because I’m NOT belting it out like a pop star… (I’m more like Julie Andrews!) I know that’s what they “think” they hear, is all chest voice, because they just don’t know, but I find it rather annoying. Any thoughts?

Hi Craig, i enjoy your videos alot ! Personally, the ‘How to sing from your diaphragm’ videos helped me a lot cause I used to have the misconception that I’m supposed to stop the stomach from moving in as I am singing. I feel alot better after realising that the stomach is in fact suppose to go in(or guided in) .

However, i also noticed that if i were to exert to trigger my diaphragm in order to support my breathe, my stomach area is unable to move in as much as compared to when I don’t exert my diaphragm/abdominal muscles at all. Is this normal? Or is this due to me triggering lower abdominal muscles unknowningly ? Would like your advice on this ! ^_^

how are you sir Shimizu….my usual question…am I really Bass Soprano…F1 to A4…My videos covers all male and female chest voice vocal range…No vocal coach dares to answer my question..I dont know why…its just a simple..yes or no….If yes….Yes because your videos prove it……if no….No because you cannot sing in bass or in soprano…just as simple as that…but i have enough evidence to prove it., all I need is a real brave vocal coach to accept that fact…..

hello Mr. Craig! thanks for the awesome tips. It’s very useful especially for us who can’t afford hiring a vocal coach. I just have a question. I can do the “slide” without breaking. but it’s very soft and low volume.. I’ve been practicing this for a month now, but whenever I sing, I always end up using my chest tone when belting which ends up shouting or high larynx.. I wanted to do mixed so badly but I can’t do it with fuller tone, it’s very weak. any tips you can give?

Hi Craig. I’ve watched all your videos today, thank you for all the insightful information, it’s helping a lot. I have rather a specific question that I was wondering if you could help with. Around the mid/top end of my chest voice (around notes C-E), the notes start to sound crackled like I’m doing vocal fry. The only way I can hit them cleanly is by volume, which just sounds like a yell. I’ve resorted to just bringing my falsetto down to these notes but it loses the feel.

If you listen to my song (https://youtu.be/mM4Ji4dpOsw?t=1m), you can hear what I mean at 1:45 and 3:00. I was wondering if you could help in anyway or give me advice on what I could do to smooth this section of my voice out? It’s before my actual ‘break’ which is around F#, so am a little lost. Thanks in advance!

hi craig and thanks for yout videos i have learnt a lot from them and finely begin to understand how to use my voice after a long time of trying to sing and learn from all kind of teachers. i want to ask is there a some rutin exersizes that is best to do like warm ups and then more dificolt exersizes thanks for your help
assaf

This is excellent. I really do appreciate your showing all the aspects of your teaching so explicitely. Typically, singing teachers will use the language of metaphors (like “sing as if there was a table tennis ball hovering above your throat”). These are OK, but only after you have understood the concept in the first place. Also, great advice to place myself exactly on the break – typically I want to be as far from there as I can, but this does not help, as I am not moving outside of my vocal comfort zones.

pls why do I loose my voice so easily after signing for just 15 minutes. am a bass baritone. could it be that I strain so much? because I love singing and hitting those high notes and it’s always tough.

Hi Craig. Thanks again for a wonderful video. I’ve learned (I think) to slide without my voice breaking. But now, I find it hard to know where the break actually is in order to perform the exercise for crescendo/diminuendo etc.